


One-Shot: Caught in the Rain

by DayOldHakarl



Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Caught in the Rain, M/M, Old Books, One-Shot, Vacation, couple's fight
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-06 16:20:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 942
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16836181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DayOldHakarl/pseuds/DayOldHakarl
Summary: A short fic requested by Tumblr user @silverelfmage about our favorite deep space doctor and "tailor" getting caught in the rain during a vacation. Enjoy!





	One-Shot: Caught in the Rain

"You know, if you hadn’t insisted on going back for that stupid novel of yours we wouldn’t be in this mess,” Garak hissed, glaring at his human, who was running toward him down a wooded path, hunched over to protect his book from the rain. “We would’ve caught the shuttle back to DS9 had you not left it behind.”

“It’s a _first edition_ ,” Julian panted as he ducked under the overhang where Garak was standing. “I couldn’t just leave it behind! What if someone found it?”

“If they had any common decency they’d send it back to you,” Garak growled, shivering. He wrapped his arms around himself to keep warm. He’d managed to avoid the rain, but he couldn’t say the same about Julian. He looked like he’d fallen into a river.

“If common decency was common, we’d all have it,” Julian snapped, vigorously shaking water from his curls. “But I’m sorry, this is a favorite of mine, and I doubt anyone would send it if they knew what it was worth.”

“Since when did you start taking lessons from Quark?”

“It’s from eighteenth-century Earth!” As if that settled matters.

“Let me guess. Is it Shakespeare?”

“Shakespeare?! In the eighteenth…!” Julian sputtered. “Why must you be so dismissive of Earth literature? I read Cardassian literature all the time, and I don’t complain…”

“ _You don’t complain_!?” Garak roared, seizing the opportunity. “My dear, if complaining were a sport you’d be at a professional level!”

Julian seethed, but Garak didn’t care. This whole “vacation” was problematic from the start. Garak never thought he’d hear himself say this, but he was actually looking forward to getting back to that wretched space station. Maybe put some distance between himself and this gangly human pest.

Julian skulked off to the opposite side of the overhang and plopped down unceremoniously to the ground. He fished the grungy old book from inside his jacket and, after wiping his wet hands on his (even wetter) pants, began to paw through it. Garak watched him out of the corner of his eye as he leaned against a wooden post. He wished he didn’t send their luggage off to the shuttle before them - it’s probably halfway across the sector by now. What Garak wouldn’t give for his favorite thermal blanket.

“If you’re so upset about leaving it behind,” Garak began with a grunt, “why are you reading it while you’re soaked?”

“I don’t know,” Julian replied in monotone. 

Garak sighed through his nose. “You’re going to catch cold.”

“You don’t catch cold from being cold.”

“Forgive me for not understanding human anatomy.”

A pause, then Garak heard Julian snort and mutter something under his breath.

“What was that?” Garak asked.

A smirk played Julian’s lips. “I said you’re certainly familiar with mine.”

_Cheeky little bastard_. Garak couldn’t help but smile as he shook his head.

Another pause before Garak glanced at Julian again, who was still reading his book. “What _is_ that book, anyway?”

“Voltaire,” Julian answered. “ _Candide_. One of the great works of European literature and arguably the best of French literature.” He gave Garak a sideways glance. “You might like it.”

Garak raised a brow. “Oh?”

“It’s satire about how this young man slowly learns that life isn’t the rosy picture he’d been told it was.”

Garak couldn’t help himself: he let out a loud and prolonged laugh. Julian glared at him. “Now what?”

“I’m…I’m sorry, my dear…” Garak apologized, wiping a tear from his eye, “but…do you not see? Do you not see that that book is basically you?”

Julian was fuming but Garak knew the irony was not lost on him. “There are many parallels between reality and literature,” he replied stiffly. “That’s what makes books like this so important.”

“Because it’s basically your life story, is that it?”

“This isn’t funny, Garak.”

Yes it is. “Well, if it’s a book about you,” Garak went on, casting a sideways glance at his young companion, “then I’d love to give it a read someday.”

He saw Julian’s lips twitch into a faint smile. “I’m sorry I dragged you out here,” he apologized, his cheeks twinging a dusty rose. “I thought you might like it but I suppose I liked it more than you did.”

He couldn’t stay mad at the little bastard. “What is that saying you humans are so fond of? ‘Your heart was in the right place’? Although I don’t understand why it wouldn’t be, or what that has to do with doing nice things for others…” He shrugged. “All the same, perhaps next time I could choose where we go for vacation, yes?”

“Perhaps.” Julian shuddered violently. He must be freezing. Garak crossed the empty space between him and his lover, removed his heavy coat, and draped it over Julian’s slender shoulders. Julian studied Garak as he slowly sat down next to him and pulled him close. It wasn’t the same as him absorbing heat from Julian (which, in times like this, would be an utter delight) but perhaps it would help. His heart was in the right place…whatever that meant.

“Would you like me to read it to you?” Julian asked, looking up at Garak with big hazel eyes that were impossible to say no to.

“We might be here a while, waiting for this rain to stop. Besides,” Garak pulled Julian a little closer and rested his cheek on top of Julian’s head, “I do like listening to your voice.”

“When I’m not complaining about Cardassian literature, you mean,” Julian replied deviously. They shared a knowing smile before Julian turned the book back to its first page and began to read.


End file.
